Dynasty of Dupes

Dynasty of DupesT.Y.OnJune19，2020，theShenzhenIntermediatePeoplesCourtopeneditssecondhearingonLiuQianzhen，anunemployed57-year-oldvillagerfromJiangsuprovinceor，ashisvictimZhengXuejuknewhim，the“QianlongEmperor，thestill-survivinginheritorofmultipleQingfamilyfortunesandsoundinvestmentopportunity.LiumetZhengbackin2020，claimingtobethemanwhoruledChinafrom1735to1796andimbibedan“elixiroflifetoensurehewasaliveandkickingnearly300yearslater.However，theimperialassetsthatthe“emperorcontrolledwerefrozen，necessitatingthegullibleZhengandherhusbandtohandoverareported40millionRMBaround7millionUSDtogreasethewheelsbeforefinallywisingtothescamin2020.LiuwastriedinShenzhenforimpersonationanddefraudingthecoupleoutof2.2millionRMB，including1.5millionRMBtopurchasealuckycabbage-shapedjadestonesimilartoonenowdisplayedattheImperialPalaceMuseuminTaipei.Thecash，intendedfor“financialderivatives，wasactuallyspentbyLiuoncarsandhouses.Zhengisfarfromthefirsttofallforaristocraticimpersonators.In ForgeryandImpersonationinImperialChina：PopularDeceptionsandtheHighQingState，historianMarkMcNicholasdescribeshow18th-centuryswindlerswouldpretendtobehigh-rankingofficialsinordertocollect“taxfromtheunsuspectingpopulace.Thesameerasawthe“SpanishprisonerscaminEurope，asconmensoughtbribestohelpfreefictionalwealthynoblemenfromunjustimprisonmentinSpain.InChina，thecontendstotakeonlocalingredientssuchasclaimsofimmortality，andinvokeitsalmostcontinuous2，132-yearimperialhistory，whichonlyendedin1912withtheabdicationofthelastQingemperor，Puyi.OtherprecedentsincludeWangFengying，a47-year-oldHenanfarmersentencedto13.5yearsin2004forbilkingatotal2millionRMBfromnumerousvictims，supposedlytoaccess175billionRMBinimperialassets.In2020，anotherscammerconvincedaSichuanesevictimthatshewasadescendantofPuyisfamily，whoonlyneeded30millionRMBtoaccessanundergroundfortunethreetimesthatamount.Themostrecentformoftheswindle，exposedonlylastDecember，involvedaneducationconsultantconvincingaBeijingcouplethattheirsonwasareincarnatedgodtheyjustneededtobuy36millionRMBsworthofrelicstounleashtheboysdivinity.Whilethemoreprofitableschemestargetrichurbaniteswhoshouldknowbetter，countrysidedwellersaresusceptibletothemoremysticalcons.InDecember，policecutdownanextra-tallsorghumthatwasbeingworshippedasa“cerealgodinShandongprovince，andarrestedalocalmanforembezzlingthedonationsbeingmadetothesupernaturalstalkbyvillageworshippers.Quasi-imperialcultshavethreatenedstabilityevenintherecentpast.In1981，forexample，blindvillagerDingXinglaideclaredhimselfthe“reincarnationoftheimmortalBaizi，andestablishedafiefdominLuotiancounty，Hubeiprovince，thatlastednineyears.DingscultspreadtocitiesinbothHubeiandAnhui，andenlistedfollowersamongvillageandtownshipleaders，warveterans，andevenmembersoftheCommunistParty.ThoughoneoftheearliestaimsofthePartyinthe20thcenturywastostampoutthesetypesoffeudalsuperstitions，itseemstheresstillalongwaytogo.